


Debt For Blood

by BetaJason



Category: Naruto
Genre: Family Drama, Gen, OC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28030128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetaJason/pseuds/BetaJason
Summary: To keep Uzumaki Naruto alive, civilian Uzumaki Hanare sets out to kill the ninja who murdered her teacher, Uzumaki Kushina, and repay a debt of blood. [Republished]
Kudos: 4





	1. In median res

Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.

...

I haven't seen Kakashi Hatake in ten years. Not since we tried killing each other.

"Are you sure Kakashi is the only option?" I said.

The Hokage sitting behind his desk frowned.

My lips pressed into a fine line as I glanced out the window. The Hokage sighed and inhaled his pipe three times.

"I gave you tutelage of Naruto. And you are no better," he said.

I drummed my fingers against my thigh, frowning and looking at the stationery on the desk.

The decision was already made. He was the Hokage, and his decisions were orders.

My objections didn't matter. If he believed Kakashi Hatake was the best option to be Naruto's sensei then I should just shut my mouth and let him do his job.

"Kakashi needs it," he said.

I bit my lip, blood crawling over my tongue. What do I care about Kakashi?

If Naruto wanted to be a ninja, then I'd try to understand. If he wanted to be recognized and become Hokage, then I'd accompany him. Even if he went on dangerous missions.

Besides, Naruto could handle all of that. Because he would be with a sensei. Any sensei.

But I couldn't protect him from my brother.

It was ridiculous. Every single part of it.

Kakashi lived through two wars, and surely he still wanted to be with the ANBU. I bit the corner of my thumb. Kakashi was a prodigy, yet he wanted to waste it as a sensei.

Three knocks came from the door.

I lowered my thumb and looked at the Hokage. What?

"Come in, Kakashi," the Hokage said.

My heart pounded. Thudding against my ribs. Stealing the air from my lungs. My arms tightened. Constricting my chest.

Footsteps padded over wood. Walking towards me.

Sakumo's voice rang in my head.

Look people in the eye, Hanare, he used to tell me when I hid behind his legs, that shows confidence.

Luckily, Sakumo wasn't alive.

On the other hand, he would be more disappointed to learn the same children he raised treated each other like strangers.

Kakashi stood next to me, his hands in his pockets and his back hunched. And of course, he doesn't even spare me a glance.

I listened to all this feigning interest, which any civilian would do. I knew the whole thing about being shinobi. Growing up surrounded by ninjas didn't make me indifferent.

And the Hokage knew it.

So what?

Why give me a bad time? Did he want to keep up appearances with Kakashi?

The Hokage continued speaking.

Kakashi was two heads taller than me – and I was suddenly a girl again. A girl in the square, surrounded by other children, their fingers pointed at her.

"Silly, silly. There's something you don't know," they used to sing to me.

Why was the Hokage talking so slow?

The tutors' introduction to the sensei was a mere formality. I wanted this all to end. I need to go home and clear my mind.

The Hokage asked Kakashi if he had anything to add.

I sighed, my muscles loosening.

Kakashi looked at the Hokage and tilted his head towards me.

I stared at his shoes.

"Mmm?" Kakashi drags the words. "Not much. Actually, and with all due respect, this is all pointless. Naruto won't pass my exam. He doesn't meet the requirements to be a ninja."

I glared at him.

The Hokage touched the bridge of his nose.

I pressed my nails against my thigh.

What did he say about Naruto?

I glanced at Kakashi's kunai. The weapon peeked out of his pouch. It'd just take a second to snatch it. Then another to shank him.

The Hokage cleared his throat as if he knew what I was going to do.

Then I was dismissed.

I bowed, looking at Kakashi.

"You'd be surprised what ninja's like Naruto can do, " I said. "Sometimes they save cowardly and arrogant ones."

If Kakashi was surprised or upset, he didn't show it. He simply curled his only visible.

He was smiling.

I left the office with the Hokages weary sigh.

I loped past the exit, the warm wind stroking my face as I blew out the air in my lungs.

My legs buckled even as I held on to the railing.

In.

Out.

I tried to calm my lungs with slow, steady breaths.

Surely, the Hokage wanted to give me a speech because of my outburst.

The reputation of Kakashi Hatake in the mission in which Obito Uchiha died, and then in which Rin Nohara died—the true history—only haunted the acquaintances of the famous copy ninja.

All his friends knew the other part of his story and a simple civilian had told him as if it was nothing.

I was not part of that circle of friends.

Although at one point, I was.

I thought of many possibilities, sure. But never one where Kakashi became Naruto's sensei.

Sakumo used to tell me when he felt lost and depressed over his past mistakes, he

would write them down so he would never see them again.

I shuffled home, my shoulders slumped. The bustle and the chatter of the villagers stabbed my ears like needles.

I didn't worry about buying food. Naruto would not arrive until later. His teammates and sensei would be assigned to him.

Our house was on the outskirts of town, on the other side of the Akimichi residence. Every time I passed, the smell of fried meat made my stomach rumble. But this time, my stomach churned.

We lived in a duplex, a modest place a maid could afford. An old woman lived underneath. But now, I never saw her as she was locked up all the time.

Every time I saw her, I used to say hello. She was one of the few people who didn't care about Naruto's presence. Also, it was the only place where we were not disturbed. They didn't throw stones at our doors, nor did they raise the rent.

I open the door. For a moment, a lump twisted in my throat. I needed Naruto's screams. I needed it to remind myself I shouldn't regret allowing him to be a ninja.

He was still scared. Surely, I woke up half the village last night when I reprimanded him.

I took off my boots in the hallway and looked at the closet mirror as I shut the door.

My face was pale and the dark circles were more prominent under my eyes.

My stomach churned and the room spun.

I covered my mouth with my hand and stumbled to the bathroom. My stomach burned. Brown cereal mixed with rancid milk spewed from my lips.

The remains of my breakfast went down the toilet, the water swirling in my ears.

I sighed, rummaging through the drawer. I wasn't supposed to see Kakashi again, that was the deal. I left the Hatake residence and settled at the other end of the village. They had changed my role, saying I came from another village and would be the guardian of Jinchūriki for safety.

I rinsed my face and looked at the mirror. Carefully, I pulled back the strand that covered half of my face. The scar spread like the roots of a tree. It started on my chin and ended before it touched my eye.

I ran my fingertips over it. It began to spread through that area. I grimaced. it hadn't bothered me for a long time.

Something was wrong.

The table in the center of the place, the armchair against the wall.

I went to the window. In the other apartment next to mine, the neighbor frowned and closed the blinds.

I went back in through the box in the trash, closed my eyes, and sniffed the air. The smell of ramen permeated the room. But there was another smell I couldn't make out. I took the carton of milk to the table.

I shook it. It was overdue. I bit my lip.

Not the smell.

I opened the door to Naruto's room. I picked up the sheets scattered on the floor and put them in the laundry bag.

My nose wrinkled.

It was a faint wet dog smell spreading throughout his room.

I closed his door, biting my lip and drawing a thread of blood.

I went to my room.

I always made sure it was properly closed. Also, Naruto was forbidden to be in my room.

When I opened the door, my room was exactly as it was when I left it this morning.

I only had two shelves full of books, a desk I hardly ever used, and my bed.

I stopped again and remembered the look in the Hokage's eyes he shared with Kakashi. In his eyes, there was a glint of disappointment I knew too well.

"Kakashi will be Naruto sensei, and he's already been looking into it," he said.

Of course, when he named Kakashi, I hadn't paid attention to his last words.

I snorted and massaged my forehead. It could have been years, but Kakashi was still as stealthy as ever.

Sakumo had trained him well in his short life.

Although I didn't mention Sakumo gave me a few tricks up my sleeve too.

I went to my bookshelf, hoping that Kakashi had only seen and not touched anything.

I had kept it since I was adopted. It was Sakumo's first gift, and although there were incomplete parts, those parts remain in my memory, stabbing my back with every action I take.

Maybe it was because I had finally understood Sakumo's advice about writing down the memories and never seeing them again. Maybe to find out what I did wrong. Be that as it may, I dusted off my desk and took pages out the drawer.

I began to write, digging into myself.


	2. Chapter 2

Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.

.

.

.

I never knew why I woke up without enough air in my lungs.

I never remembered my dreams. But I always remembered waking up, lifting my head, and wheezing through the sweat coating my face.

I remembered one night in particular. I had only been five years old. I remembered waking up, lurching forward, and gasping for air. The pitter-patter of rain poked my ears as I stared at the white-washed ceiling. My heartbeat shrunk, fading. When I could finally breathe again, there was nothing but darkness. Even though my father was tucked in his bed, it did nothing to make the rain clouds go away.

I looked for the only thing that could calm me down, sliding my hand across my bedsheet and taking my stuffed turtle into my arms. Wolves howled in the distance. My throat constricted as lied back down and counted the raindrops hitting the roof.

Years later, I found out howling was a bad omen.

Though it was many years ago, I still remembered the first time I saw Sakumo Hatake.

I was born and raised to the age of five on the fringes of the Fire Nation - a small and remote village, a few kilometers from Yugakure.

My father was a merchant. He made a living transporting and exchanging furs for the people of the Fire Nation.

Though I haven't seen him in a long time, I didn't believe he was dead. I haven't heard any news stating otherwise.

Day after day of slaving away outdoors had given him quite the tan, though the reason behind the strange scar on his forehead was still unknown to me.

His light brown eyes - which I inherited - always had a hard look to them, and his thick, bassy voice made everybody pay attention to whatever he was saying.

I helped him keep the animals alive and the harvest healthy. I didn't have many options in this regard.

If I sat down to soak my callused hands, he'd yell at me not to waste time and get back to work.

The day I first saw Sakumo Hatake was special. We had to take our merchandise to a vendor in town.

My only job was to get into the back of the cart. I ensured the merchandise suffered no harm while my father held the reins.

To get to the town, we climbed a hill, walked through a lot of streets, and crossed a bridge. We followed a path surrounded by trees. It took us about two hours. By then, the gates stood before us, the shadow of the wood hanging over my face.

I gasped, grinning as the crowd bustled and hustled, a stream flowing around us, led by the cheers and the laughter and the sharp, broken words of men and women haggling over a piece of chicken or something or another.

When my father started arguing with a villager about the prices of animal skins, I decided to take a better look at the local sights.

Of different colors and sizes, the houses were sandwiched on top of each other like a puzzle. The screams of the villagers and the laughter of children filled the place. It was very different from the silence of my home.

Panting, I bumped into someone. A child was looking at me with a frown.

Half of his face was covered with a mask.

"Watch where you're going," he said, crossing his arms. His dark eyes bored into mine.

I swallowed a thick wad of spit. My shoulders stiffened as I tapped the dirt with my shoe.

"Kakashi. Don't be rude."

The man with the soft voice wore a strange suit and had grey hair.

Familiar hands grabbed my neck. Their callouses pressed into my skin.

I blinked, staring at my shoes.

"Sakumo," my father said.

What? I had no idea he had friends here.

"Hiromi, is that you?" the grey-haired man said. "How have you been? And Kameyo?"

My father's grip tightened.

"Died," my father answered.

"I'm sorry," Sakumo said after a moment. He shot me a glance. My father's grip loosened. "She must be your daughter. She has the same hair as–"

"We should go," my father said. "Hanare is sorry."

We both bowed and headed to the wagon.

I sat down on the back.

When my father sat in the front and grabbed the strap, Sakumo caught up with him.

"Do they live around here?" he asked.

My fists clenched. Didn't he understand my father was mad?

"No," my father said.

The journey to my house was martyrdom.

When I observed my father, his eyes weren't fixed on any object, but lost, absent in some memory.

Sakumo used to tell me with a laugh I had inherited it from him.

However, unlike me, my father always looked people in the eye and made them feel small.

When alcohol filled his veins, he became a completely different person.

I thought my father would wait for us to get home, leave the horses in the stables, and make me enter the house by sliding the door.

A fist smashed into my mouth.

I stumbled, cupping my face.

He grabbed my hair and hurled me out the wagon. I fell on the dirt, dust staining the blood on my tongue.

"This is the last time you do this to me," he said through clenched teeth. "You are an idiot who cannot stay where I say. You will walk home because you like to wander so much."

I hadn't lifted his face off the ground, not even when the wheels turned away. My eyes started to water and for a moment – just a small one – I thought I had a chance to go wherever I wanted.

But it was only for a moment. My teddy bear was there, sitting at the corner of my futon – alone.

I wished my father was sleeping. That way, I could grab an apple and go to bed.

But when I opened the door, my father was sitting on his futon with a bottle of sake in hand.

"Hanare, " he said. The flames of the only candle in the room lit up his brown eyes. "Come over here."

Instead of approaching, I pressed closer to the door. I was cold and I was hungry. I wanted to press my stuffed animal against my chest.

"I told you to come!" he yelled, throwing an empty bottle. It hit the wall and shattered to pieces.

My father cackled. "The man we saw today, Hanare, was a bad man."

I did not respond and I did not cry.

It was worse when I cried.

'"He wants to hurt you," he continued. "Everyone wants to hurt you. But don't worry. I'll protect you."


	3. 3

Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.  
...

I was born in winter. My father used to remember it. When the first flakes of the season fell, my father grimaced, reached into his pocket, and took out a bottle of sake.

"You were born this season," he said. He took a sip of the drink and watched the flakes fall. I kept silent, waiting for him to continue talking about those days - some anecdote about my mother or her childhood. But he took another sip and looked at me. "A shitty time to be born, Hanare."

The next day, snow covered my patio like a blanket.

My father slept in his bed, reeling from a hangover. I ran my tongue over my split lip, grabbed my stuffed animal, and went outside.

The cold air stroked my face as I sat on the facade.

Would the people in Konohagakure be warm - would children be playing in the snow?. I hugged my stuffed animal and watched the flakes fall. My father wouldn't get up all day - and if he did he'd just have a glass of water and go back to sleep.

To this day I wondered - was What would it be like to be a child or to have friends? But I loved my father - beyond everything he did - and I was the only thing he had.

Fur brushed my leg. A little puppy was sniffing me. He looked and barked. My heart pounded. I stroked his head and the puppy wagged its tail. He stared at something and barked.

A voice rang - and I stopped caressing it.

"So here you were."

I got up. Sakumo came towards me, bringing the strange boy with the mask.

I squeezed my teddy bear. They shouldn't be here.

Sakumo took a few steps closer and I took another step back.

He stayed where he was.

"I wanted to talk to your father," he said, smiling.

I blinked. My father? I watched the closed door.

"They want to hurt you."

Shook my head.

"He... isn't here," I said, looking at my feet.

"He is. Liar," the boy said.

My eyes widened. The boy frowned and crossed his arms.

"Kakashi." Sakumo shot him a look. He placed a hand on the back of his neck.

"We will cause no trouble," he said, approaching with a smile.

I wanted to run, but Sakumo knelt in front of me and handed me a slice of bread. "Everything will be fine"

My stomach growled, the aroma of freshly baked bread filling my nose. I stared at the bread - and Sakumo approached the door.

I spun, flinching.

"He ... he..."

If Sakumo ever came in, maybe my father wouldn't do anything to him.

But I'd pay the consequences.

Sakumo blinked and raised his.

"Go play with Kakashi," he said - the boy protested behind me.

I stared at him as he opened the door. My heart sank down my ribcage.

Inside, my father laid a lump between the sheets - and only his eyes peeked over his blanket.

He looked at Sakumo when he closed the door.

I moved my teddy's arms while shooting glances at the house.

The boy, still next to me, kept moving his foot, sitting, and standing up.

He sighed.

"What do you think they're doing?" Kakashi said.

Maybe they were chatting about something from their past. My heart leaped to my throat. , What if Sakumo talked to my father, and he'd be kinder to me? Maybe he'd smile more and buy me things.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," the boy said, bumping his foot against my leg.

I jumped and turned away from him.

Kakashi sighed and placed a hand on his hip.

"You don't talk a lot, do you?" he said.

I blinked.

"Your name is Hanare, right?" he asked. "Are you stupid?"

I gave him a slice of bread.

Kakashi sighed.

"I don't understand why my father went to the trouble to track you down," he said, looking at the house. He glanced at me. "Did your father say something to you?"

I opened my mouth- we didn't have that kind of talk.

Shrieks came from the house.

When I opened the door, I screamed.

Kakashi froze.

My father placed a knife against Sakumo's neck.

"Take her?" my father yelled. A vein protruded from his neck. His other hand shook as he held onto Sakumo's shirt.

"Take it easy," Sakumo said. Unlike my father, Sakum's face was calm. He bore holes into my father's eyes. No one noticed our presence. "You know you haven't done a good job as a parent."

"And you think you'll be better ?!" he spat at him. Veins formed on his face. I took a step back. His face was turning red as if he were a demon. "Do you think you'll protect her like you did Kameyo, eh ?!"

Kakashi raised his arms and settled into a fighting stance.

I gasped. My stuffed animal broke.

My Father looked at us, his eyes bloodshot.

Sakumo flicked the knife away.

My father cackled. His shoulders rose and fell.

"Take her, Sakumo," he said. Sakumo looked at Kakashi, And before Kakashi dragged me out, his voice echoed in my ears. "I forgot how pathetic it was."

Outside, the snow piled up at my feet.

"Stop crying, will you?" Kakashi said.

I hiccupped, hot tears streaking my cheeks. t.

At that time I didn't realize it.

Now, remembering it, there were signs I missed.

The walls of my house were thin. You could hear inside even if we whispered. I didn't notice the seal Sakumo had placed when he entered the house - the one that prevented you from listening, usually for covert missions.

However, Sakumo broke it the moment my father attacked him. Somehow, he knew we'd go see what happened.

Sakumo wanted me to see that.

"Here," Kakashi handed me a candy. I took it with shaky hands. He ruffled my hair. "Everything... everything will be fine."

My lips trembled. When I opened the candy wrapper, Sakumo left the house.

He approached me. But I looked behind him. My father leaned against the doorframe.

"Hanare," Sakumo called out, kneeling before me. I looked him into his eyes. "You will come live with me for a while."

I glanced at my father. My father's face was carved from rock.

He didn't move from his place.

"Dad?" I called out.

He spun and slammed the door.

It was the last time I saw my father.


	4. THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.

It was obvious that my childish mind would not accept changes, even if Sakumo accepted me with open arms. But still, I had food and a place to sleep.

In the back of my mind, I believed somehow, I was betraying my father. It was not for less. I only knew how to take care of animals and walk on tiptoes close to my father.

I had vague memories of feeling uncomfortable in the first few days. My room, Sakumo's attention to me, and even the gray light of the place showed me that I did not belong in.

So when three days passed, I decided to leave.

The fact of showing me as a defensive dog was not indifferent to Sakumo. Gathering his personality, he chose to give me my space to adapt.

They must have seen Hanare, he said when one of his companions told an anecdote about his children, she looked like a puppy ready to attack your neck if you were distracted.

When Sakumo and Kakashi left for their usual training routine, I grabbed my teddy bear, some cans of food from the cupboard, and I left.

I walked through the village. My goal was to get to the doors. Once there, I would already know how to get home.

The Hatake complex was not that far away. I just had to follow a path and turn the corner. I would reach the main street and make it out the doors.

I was looking everywhere, expecting to find the great doors. I shrugged as I realized that people kept their eyes on me and children pointed at me.

My heartbeat dubbed against my chest. They probably knew I was running away and they would go tell Sakumo or someone in uniform.

Although, now I'd gotten used to the sideways glances. At that time, I hadn't realized it.

It was not everyday people looked at a girl with strange hair color.

I was trying to sneak between the legs of the crowd, avoiding wagons and uniformed men, when I ran into someone's legs.

"You're good?"

My eyes narrowed at her voice. The sun warmed my face and the person's face was in the gloom.

I only made out her reddish hair.

The person leaned in and I could define her features.

I saw the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Her blue eyes had a playful glint and her mop of red hair fell like a curtain as she cocked her head.

I nodded again. My stomach growled in protest. My face burned. The woman laughed.

"I think you're hungry," she said. "Right now, I'm on my way to Ichiraku. Do you want to accompany me?"

I looked everywhere. Maybe if I walked next to her, people would not suspect anything.

I nodded.

"Perfect!" she said, clapping and standing up. "By the way, my name's Kushina Uzumaki. "

I was ignorant of the dangers of going with strangers, and Sakumo would give me a long talk about it.

I walked beside Kushina, looking at her sideways.

The first time I tried ramen, my stomach appreciated it. The second, not so much, and I took small sips.

"So you're the girl Sakumo always talked about," Kushina said, stirring his noodles. I froze and watched her. Eyes on me, Kushina threw her head back and laughed. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about your escape."

My lips quivered as I scratched the wood of the counter with my thumb.

"What I don't understand," Kushina said, looking at a fixed point. "Is why you ran away. Sakumo is a good man. "

I frowned.

"Why... do you believe that," I said.

"What did you say, Hanare-chan?" Kushina said, placing a hand on my ear. "I didn't hear you murmur. Speak louder and clearer."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Why do you believe that," I said.

"Why not believe it?" she said, stirring the noodles. "After all, he took you out of that place."

"It was my home," I said, and Kushina continued slurping the noodles. "My father must be worried."

"Hmm," Kushina said, looking at something on the ceiling. When she finished her noodles, she burped and looked at me.

"Answer me something, okay?"

When I nodded, she ordered another round. "Did your father come looking for you in, I don't know, the three weeks you've been here?"

I opened my mouth to contradict her but I closed it again.

"I guessed right," she said, breaking the chopsticks. "Why do you think they brought you here?"

I frowned, wondering the same thing. Then I remembered.

"Sakumo... he said my mother left him in charge," I said, looking at the empty bowl. I opened my eyes. "Because dad wasn't ready."

Kushina nodded as she bit into the egg.

"But he needs me," I said.

Kushina set the bowl on the counter with a thud."Maybe that wasn't a good home."

I looked at my knees.

"How will I know if my home was bad and this is good?" I asked.

"Why don't you find out?" she said with a small smile, cupping her chin with her hands. "I can tell that you're a smart girl."

It was the first lie Kushina told me, and it wouldn't be the last either.

Because then I realized. No, I was not smart. If I was, I would have realized meeting Kushina was not a coincidence on the very day of my escape. That Sakumo hadn't crossed his nose and predicted my escape.

And if I had known my roots, I would know that meeting another Uzumaki did not happen by chance. If I knew at that moment everything coming, I would only have frowned. I would have thanked him for the food and would continue my way to the gates.

But I did not. My childish mind believed his words. My mind believed if there was a difference between living with Sakumo, it was another kind of affection. I should find out.

I believed in Kushina because for the first time my hands did not tremble and my feet did not tiptoe.

When I came back with Kushina, listening, and losing myself in her chatter about something I didn't remember. Sakumo had his back to us talking to a great white wolf.

I approached with my heart in my throat.

Kushina stayed at the gate.

"Maybe at her house," Sakumo was saying. Her hair was messy. He opened and closed her hands.

The white wolf raised his head and looked at me.

I stayed where I was.

Sakumo's frown eased and he moved closer.

I closed my eyes and squeezed my stuffed animal.

A hand touched my shoulder.

My eyes widened and my shoulders stiffened.

"Thanks to Kami you're okay," he said when he released me.

My lips trembled.

My breath caught in my throat.

"I'm sorry, Hanare," he said. "I should have guessed it would be difficult. I shouldn't have left you alone. "

I kept my gaze fixed on him. What was that feeling that made me feel safe?

"Thanks for bringing her," Sakumo said from behind. Kushina approached us with crossed arms and a smile.

"You're welcome. Hanare and I only talked about girlish things, "she said, winking at me.

I shrugged, red-faced.

I was watching the white wolf next to Sakumo. It reached Sakumo's waist. When he realized he was looking at him he cocked his head towards me.

I squeezed my teddy bear. The wolf inclined his head towards me and stepped into the darkness.

The house was dark when I entered. I was looking behind me, watching Kushina's back disappear into the darkness.

"Don't worry about her. Worry about the people who stand up to her," Sakumo said, closing the door behind him.

He smiled at me. I noticed that Kushina seemed to contain overflowing energy. Sakumo did everything calm, with all the time in the world.

I nodded looking at my feet.

I kicked off my shoes at the entrance and headed to my room.

"Hanare," he called me. The moon coming through the window gave it a grayish air. "Wait. I want to show you something."

When he came out, he was holding something small in his hands. He gave it to me.

It was a photograph.

There were three children.

I saw the Sakumo immediately. He wore the same cut as Kakashi and had a small smile on his face.

On the left side was my father.

"It's our first photo when we were promoted to genin," Sakumo said.

My father was a different person. His brown eyes were more alive. He had a bright smile as if he challenged everyone. I patted the photo.

A girl stood in the middle. She had the same hair color as Kushina. She wore black eyes and stared at the camera with her lips pressed into a fine line.

"She is your mother, Hanare," Sakumo said. I blinked and looked at him.

"What happened to her?" I asked, whispering. Sakumo knelt at my height.

"Listen, Hanare," he said. I looked into his eyes. "I know you're confused. But nothing bad will happen to you here. You'll go back to your father when things settle down and I'll explain everything to you. If you still want to go back to your father, I won't stop you. I just want you to be patient with me ".

He squeezed my shoulder.

"You can keep the photo."

That night I slept with the frame on my nightstand.


	5. Frayed bear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.

There were no specific moments when I remembered becoming close to Sakumo. I supposed it was because I had gotten used to his presence or because returning home indefinitely was dismissed. I could have gaps from those times, and give assumptions. But I could remember a specific moment when I saw him as he really was.

It was still winter and I was waiting for Kushina in front of the entrance. That day he would come to visit me and give me, in his words, a makeover. I observed the doorway, putting the stuffing back into my bear when the door slid open.

"Hanare," Sakumo said, coming out with a steaming cup of coffee. He could lead a healthy life, but for some reason, he never left the coffee. "You know Kushina won't be here for two hours, right?"

I shrugged, trying to keep my teddy's arm from moving.

"It broke?" he asked, looking at the bear.

I nodded. A lump formed in my throat. I was always too dramatic, especially when it came to my toy.

"Wait," Sakumo said, going back inside.

He came out after a few minutes with needle and thread.

"Give it to me," he said, sitting down next to me. I hugged my stuffed animal and looked at it with a frown. "I won't do anything wrong to him. I'll sew the broken part so the filling won't come out. "

He spent a few minutes with his hand in the air. The needle in his other hand, the stuffing spreading down my leg.

I handed it over slowly.

"Thank you," he said. He gathered the filling and placed it. Once it was done, he started sewing.

I didn't take my eye off him. Sakumo's brows furrowed in concentration as he continued with his task.

I was overprotective of that stuffed animal because I had it since I could remember. It gave me peace. Something to take refuge in.

But I lost it. I didn't know what happened. I didn't remember crying about losing it. The last time I saw him was before Sakumo's funeral.

"Here," he said.

I took it. I ran my fingers through its seam. Perfectly made, without a bulge. Not even the thread was noticeable.

I watched him and then my teddy.

Sakumo ran a hand over the back of his neck.

"You can tell me if you want something, you are a girl after all, besides..."

He stopped when I sat close to him.

I placed my knees on my chest, leaning on his bent knee.

Anyone who saved my bear's life deserved my respect.

"You're welcome, " he said, raising his hand like he wanted to touch my head.

I frowned.

"Okay, sorry," he said.

I went back to sit where I had been.

Sakumo chuckled, however his laughter stopped and his shoulders stiffened.

In the blink of an eye, a man in a suit appeared in front of us.

"Sakumo Hatake," he said, his face hidden behind a mask.

I tilted my head.

"Hokage-sama requires his presence. "

Sakumo nodded. "I'll go right away."

When the strange man disappeared, Sakumo sighed.

"There goes my bye week," he said, glancing at me.

"Hanare," he said, kneeling in front of me. "I will go away for a while, I don't know for how long, I will send a scroll advising you. Kakashi knows what to do. Don't worry. "

Sakumo always made him see and understand the reasons for the why of things. He believed it was because I distrusted his intentions. But no. He was always like that - he needed everyone to know his reasons for doing anything. As if he needed to justify himself.

…

When my legs numbed , Kushina appeared at the entrance with her mane of red.

I stopped immediately.

"Hello!" she said with a smile, climbing up the front. Her cheeks were flushed and her nose red. "Sorry for the delay. Sakumo alerted me to his unforeseen mission."

I nodded, observing the point where he left.

"Well, come on," Kushina said, entering the house. "Kakashi is at the ninja academy. Today will be a girl's day."

Kushina bought me clothes my size and bathed me.

She sat me in front of the mirror, my hair dripping down my shoulders.

"Good," she said, sitting down next to me. She frowned, scissors in hand. "This is the problem, I'm a disaster at cutting hair. Even if you don't have too much. What will I do?"

She just put a white bow on me, removing the hair from my face.

"You look so good!" she said with a smile.

I looked at the mirror. With well-combed hair and a lilac dress, I looked like one of those girls playing in the park.

"Hanare," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. She took a deep breath. "Do you know why I asked your permission to bathe and touch your hair?

I shook my head.

"I know what happened in the house with your father," she said. "Nobody has the right to touch you, understand? Not if you don't allow it."

Kushina was the first person to make me understand that, from my childhood up to my adolescence. I interpreted it as my right. But when I learned the meaning behind her words and the responsibility of being Uzumaki, I realized, while she was in the village, the container of the Kyuubi belonged to them.

Kushina had experienced it firsthand, a girl from a destroyed village turned into a weapon without even asking her. Although Kushina hadn't complained, as she took it as a great honor.

But there were times when I caught her touching her stomach, squeezing the fabric of her dress with such force I believed she would tear it. She bit her lip until it bled and stared at a fixed point.

Kushina hid that sliver of pain due to being identified as a weapon under a mask of humor and the persistent dream of being Hokage - and changing that. It was one of the reasons why she looked at me as what I really was: a girl. A girl with the right to decide.

It was amazing how that side of Kushina changed when she received other responsibilities.


	6. The calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: Eretein. (Thank you for so much.) Also, she's published a RWBY fic called Artificer. Give her love.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me, only the Oc.

My routine could change today. My mornings, afternoons, nights. I had a schedule. My life was structured.

However, I could not forget the education Sakumo gave me.

"Listen," Kakashi said, putting on an apron. "I won't pat you on the head like my father. Do your thing and don't bother me."

I tilted my head towards him, watching his frown.

I looked back at the window.

"I have a routine," he continued saying as he put everything to cook. "I must train hard for when my father returns."

I was used to entertaining myself. Even if it was looking at a fixed point for hours.

The difference at the time was I no longer worked with my father. I didn't get up before the sun rose to feed the animals, clean the cow stables, water the crops, and - if my father was not hungover - accompany him on his business trips.

He had all the time in the world. It was the problem. The month I was in this place, I had become aware of Sakumo and Kakashi's routine. Like me, they both got up before the sun rose and went to train. When they returned, Sakumo would prepare something to eat and Kakashi would go to the academy. After that, Sakumo tried to give me homeschooling.

"It's for when you start the academy," he said. "That way it will be easier for you."

When Kakashi returned, Sakumo prepared the food.

At dinner, Kakashi would narrate what he had done that day.

I could hear him chattering without understanding anything at all.

Sakumo had told me, between Kakashi's silences, I would do that at the academy next year. I nodded. The whole academy thing, the weird people with headbands on their foreheads made me yawn. But Kakashi took it as if it were a great honor. His eyes gleamed when he recounted how he hit him with a kunai.

It was the first time Sakumo went on a mission, I kept waiting to see his gray hair, like I did with Kushina.

"Besides," Kakashi said, stirring the pot. Since the kitchen was too high for him, he stood on a bench to reach it. "Don't think I'll help you study. You can learn alone."

It was another problem. In my spare time, I tried to read a word and spell it out loud, yet I didn't even recognize the kanji. Sakumo told me. I repeated it, but within seconds, I already forgot . He would tell me not to r and I'd nod, pumping myself up.

"Go wash your hands," Kakashi said, placing the dishes on the table.

He sighed behind me when I didn't move.

"Father will be back tomorrow. You don't have to wait like a fool for him to come back."

When Kakashi picked up the dishes, I sat in front of the door.

"Go to sleep," Kakashi said, clearing the table.

I shook my head.

"Are you going to stay all night waiting?" Kakashi looked at the ceiling. He shook his head."You're stupid," he said.

The door to his room slammed shut.

I nodded, my eyes closing as something crashed into my leg.

It was a rolled-up futon.

"You're going to catch a cold." Kakashi watched me with a futon under his arm. He spread it over the floor and lied down.

I feigned yawning behind my palm .

When I was about to fall asleep, Kakashi called me.

Kakashi lied on his pillow. The sheet covered half his face.

"Do you miss your father?"

I put my head in my arms. To my knowledge, I had no relatives or siblings. My only link was my father.

I nodded.

Kakashi looked at the ceiling.

"Why don't you talk? You know we'd understand you better that way," he said.

I blinked. My speech was very limited and I only spoke when I was too curious and couldn't help it.

"I don't know how to speak," I said just as Kakashi's eyes were closing.

"Are you talking right now?" Kakashi asked.

I frowned and shook my head."I say bad things to him and that makes my father upset."I scratched the ground with my nail. "I don't want to say bad things and you guys get mad."

Kakashi stared at me, his eyes blank.

"You no longer live with your father, Hanare," he said. "Now, you live with us. You won't say bad things. Father will want you to say welcome home when he comes back."

...

Winter was thawing when Sakumo returned from his mission. He came back without a scratch in neat clothes.

It was Sunday when he returned. That same day, he brought a gift for both of us.

"Here, Hanare," he said. He handed me an inkwell and a notebook bound in black. "It's a special inkwell made of chakra. No one else will use it. Only you. Like the notebook."

I nodded, looking at the gifts with wide eyes. Kakashi who watched me. .

"Thank you," I said.

Sakumo smiled . He raised his hand to touch my hair, but I just frowned.

"Sorry," Sakumo said. He placed both hands on his hip. "Good. I was going to give you this gift for your birthday, Kakashi, but since I've been told that you are likely to graduate too early, you should be careful right?"

I could only remember seeing Kakashi almost jumping for joy a few times. One of them was when he learned a new jutsu.

"Don't tell me..."

Sakumo smiled.

...

Sitting against the bark of a tree, Sakumo held a scroll as he gave directions to Kakashi who was nodding. Even from a distance, I could see their hands open and close.

When Sakumo finished giving the instructions, he walked away and stopped to stand close to me.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," he said, leaning against the tree. "It will allow you to have more advantage on the battlefield. A simple, but efficient jutsu. "

We both watched Kakashi practice the seals over and over again.

"I'm sorry I can't teach you the same, Hanare," he said, looking at me. "Your chakra style is not my type. Kushina will take care of that in due time. "

I didn't want to tell him that I didn't know what he was talking about. He seemed very excited to teach me.

At dinner, Kakashi stared at his plate quietly.

...

When I still didn't come out, Kakashi woke me.

"Hanare, come see this," he said.

He was grinning and yawning. I wondered why he didn't tell Sakumo. But curiosity got the better of me and I followed him.

I followed Kakashi to the training ground. Our shadows walked beside us as we made our way to Sakumo's private training ground. Although there was only one way to get to him, I managed to find a shortcut.

He stopped.

I bumped into his back.

"Look at this," he said.

He made the seals. Smoke erupted, covering us. . Kakashi crossed his arms. "It's not very difficult," he said. His eyes sparkled as he nodded.

I opened my mouth, observing the exact copies Kakashi had managed to make in just one day.

There were times when I forgot the side of Kakashi that forget about training and be just a normal five-year-old. There were a few times I still keep those moments in my mind. They make my shoulders loosen for a moment. But after two seconds, the sensation fades, and I see the rift dividing the land and two on each side.

It was those moments when, years later, I would lower my head and scurry past when I saw Kakashi's silver hair in the crowd.


End file.
